What Is the Average Settlement for a Broken Collarbone?

The value of a settlement for a broken collarbone will vary on a case-by-case basis. Because every accident case is different, your Louisiana personal injury lawyer would need to review the particular circumstances of your case to calculate all the damages you could recover.

An attorney can review your losses, including the costs for your medical care, lost pay, pain, and emotional suffering, to determine a fair value for your claim.

What’s the Average for a Broken Collarbone Settlement?

All the variables that come into play with a collarbone injury mean there is no “average” settlement value in these cases. Instead, several factors will influence the funds available after an accident resulting in this injury. These factors include:

Treatment Costs

The treatment costs vary significantly from one collarbone injury to another. In many situations, individuals with a broken collarbone will need emergency care from skilled medical professionals.

The cost of medical treatments for a fractured clavicle depends on factors such as:

• How severe is the broken bone?
• Did the broken collarbone penetrate the skin?
• Has the collarbone been injured or broken previously?
• Does the injury require surgery?
• Will you need physical therapy?

That’s why medical expenses for a fractured collarbone can vary so much. With that said, your medical bills could range from $500 for injuries that don’t require surgery to as much as $20,000.

Your medical insurance might cover some of these costs (depending on your deductible and policy terms). However, if you didn’t cause the accident that broke your collarbone, you could hold the negligent party financially responsible.

Even if their liability insurance covers only part of your medical bills, you have the right to seek the full extent of your damages from them.

The Way the Injury Impacts Your Life

The injury’s impact on a victim’s life varies depending on whether the injury keeps them out of work (and for how long) or affects their ability to participate in daily activities. Complicating the picture further is that no two people with broken collarbones have the same economic outlook.

For example, a UPS driver who can’t work for two years due to a fractured collarbone might miss nearly six figures worth of income, whereas someone who works in an office may still have use of their fingers and be able to control a keyboard. They might only miss a few days of work.

Personal injury attorneys consider all these factors when calculating the value of a client’s claim, instead of focusing on what the average settlement is for a broken collarbone. 

Who Has to Pay for a Broken Collarbone?

If you’ve broken your collarbone in an accident you didn’t cause, the law allows you to demand compensation from the negligent party, generally through a settlement with the insurance company. Depending on your situation, the at-fault party may have to pay for your:

Economic Damages

What are economic damages in a personal injury case? Economic (monetary) damages apply to accident victims’ expenses for treating their injuries (for example, a broken collarbone).

Examples of economic damages include medical bills, such as surgery to repair a collarbone fracture, and your lost wages due to your inability to work after breaking your clavicle.

Non-Economic Damages

Non-economic damages refer to intangible losses, including the loss of quality of life and pain and suffering. For example, most broken collarbones prevent accident victims from moving the affected arm.

Suppose you are an avid golfer or basketball player who cannot continue playing either sport due to a fractured collarbone. You could demand damages for the lost enjoyment of these activities.

You could also receive funds to pay for your mental anguish and emotional distress. Both economic and non-economic damages play essential roles in determining the value of a case or settlement. Your attorney will know how to calculate pain and suffering damages.

How Do You Settle a Broken Collarbone Claim?

Settling a personal injury claim will require your lawyer to go through a series of negotiations with the insurance company. Eventually, the company will send an offer. Your lawyer will then examine the deal and compare it to your losses, after which you will decide whether to accept the money or not.

Sometimes, negotiations will go on for several months, with the company sending multiple offers before providing you with fair compensation for your broken clavicle.

In some situations, the company will refuse to provide a fair offer. In this situation, you have other legal options. For example, your lawyer may help you file a personal injury lawsuit against the at-fault party.

Why Are Broken Collarbones So Serious?

Collarbones play an important role in the human body. They stabilize the arm they are connected to and assist in your range of motion. As a result, you can’t move the arm connected to whichever collarbone you broke.

Unfortunately, collarbones are also relatively delicate as far as bones go. It doesn’t take much force to fracture one. Once that’s happened, both the broken collarbone and the connected arm typically must be immobilized while the fracture heals.

Learn More About the Settlement Value of Your Collarbone Injury

So, what is the average settlement for a broken collarbone? The medical costs and other losses associated with this injury vary too much for attorneys to spend time focusing on an “average” payout.

In the unfortunate event that you suffered a fractured clavicle due to someone else’s negligence, you want specific information about the potential value of your case rather than the “average settlement value.”

Our team at Laborde Earles can help you calculate your case’s value. We welcome the opportunity to talk to you about your accident, how much your injuries have cost, and the impact that breaking your collarbone has had on your life.

Talk to us now to learn more and build a personal injury claim.